Somewhere between the all out psychedelia that was 67 to 69 and after the step back of 1970 comes the roller coaster year of 71.
A year that starts off with the Mickey hiatus. The band decides to re-double their efforts playing the college circuits as well as appearing in a local club, theater, or venue of opportunity.
in anywhere and everywhere USA.
They work NOT so much on jamming from tune to tune but in really gaining mastery over the new tunes they are introducing on their endless touring schedule.
A key point is the introduction of Keith on Piano. He opens up the possibilities for Phil to reclaim his lead bass which allows for tunes like PITB to go from 4 minutes on the 3rd of March to over 6 minutes by New years Eve. Yeah it would get EXPONENTIALLY crazy
(45 MINUTES BY 1974)
but try adding 2 MINUTES to a 4 minute song!
There is of course the Pigpen factor as his health catches up with him and he misses this late 71 tour.
While this is hard on the band and local fans alike --it forces the boys to flush out tunes they can play without Pig.
When they head out for the Europe 72 and Pig returns you have Pig holding court as well as the band really holding their own on Garcia and Weir tunes. and some fusion where traditional Pig tunes get added jams from the band.
I will of course add that Donna Jean joins New Years eve 1971 and will really become a force for ensemble singing as well as throw in a few choice covers and originals over the years.
And while it is easy to say that Brent was a needed asset on keys. They never recovered that kind sisterly voice in the band.And yeah Orgasmic roars included!
You want a taste of how much they were missing Donna. Check out Phil's reaction after Suzanne Vega broke out Chinese Bones and Neighborhood Girls. (MSG rain-forest)

As for this show. i dig the TRUCKIN" opener.
The 1st is a series of building intensity tunes.
Which I have to say as a Head. I just love the simplicity of this set.
I notice they are running a tangent on Jack Straw that disappears by Europe 72
There is some sound discrepancies on the recording but I actually would easily call this above average sound.
B.E. Women is so fine, Checking out Phil's bass
lines and Garcia's voice on the lead wow he really could sing.
Adjust those knobs Bobby! Mexicali -Kinda neat hearing this as a stand alone. It took some time for me to find out this is a GD original.
EVERYBODY POLKA! That must have been crazy in San Antonio.
I miss Phil singing backing vocals on just about anything.
This is a great point in the set to sneak in a Jerry ballad. And does it get more cowboy then Black Peter. It is bizarre that with tunes like this the GD could be so persona non grata in mainstream Country circles.
The boys certainly are doing some outreach with this tune. The guy in the Cowboy hat grinning from ear to ear. "I do not know what a truckin is? nor a POLKA what? But this guy singing about PETER is pretty cool. and that song about his Dog!
So when folks tell you about outlaw country.
"ONE Toke over the line"
Open 1st set with Truckin' close it with Saturday Night---pretty cool any year!
You know with all the short shrift shows from like 84 to 90 get as far as length of show. This is actually a more condensed show then your average show from later era's.

Oh Yeah twenty plus minutes of
'That's it for the the Other One'
just in case cowboy or cowgirl
met a vi -sine bottle in their travels.
Truly the Psychedelic epicenter of the evening.
They manage to transport
the entire Civic Auditorium
back to where the bus came round
and it all began.
TOO>RxRBlues maybe the only transition of the evening but it is absolutely on target
and i believe this version of Railroad Blues is as all out ROCK N ROLL as this tune ever gets.
Three more rockers bring the night to a close!

Highlights: Black Peter, The Other One

People say '72 was the year, but from summer of 71 into the new year...they were on a roll

This is another solid performance from 1971. Jerry sounds great all night. '71 first sets are hard to beat.

Is it just me or is the fall 71 run through Texas grossly underrated? All these shows are crackling with energy and Keith plays ridiculously well for being so new to the band. Lovin this shit.

Nice sounding, somewhat "quiet" show that really features new keyboard player, Keith. At one point he is introduced and Pigpen is very sick and had to stay home. The show has a little bit of hiss, but with the keyboards sounding a bit more up front thanusual, it gives this show a nice unique sound that.

I was in the USAF at this time after becoming a Deadhead in Germany. After driving to downtown San Anton, the radio said the concert was canceled. We drove back home, turned on the radio, and 30 minutes later they said the concert was on again! It would begin at 10 PM instead of 8 PM. The Dead were coming in from somewhere like Atlanta by plane and their equipment didn't make it. The New Riders began playing at about 11 PM and were fabulous. Jerry played with them. Henry brought the house down! The GD finally began playing around 12:30-1 AM. Everyone was worn out by then, and pretty subdued, but the concert was great. Pigpen was in the hospital (according to Weir) and Keith and Donna Jean had just come on board. One of the most amazing things there was that wall of speakers! It was huge, and deafening. Uncle John's band was a radio hit in San Antone (at least on one station) at that time. This was my only Dead concert. I have never again been within 400 miles of a concert! I wish I could get a personal copy of this Dead show on tape, CD or download.

I haven't listened to '71 in a while. This is really REALLY good. So much young raw energy in everything they do this night. These guys never sieze to amaze me.
Go archive!

i haven't made it through the whole thing yet but....after the last three months of going through the available catalogue up through 1971 and feeling like i MIGHT BE READY FOR 72, i hit upon this show tonight and tried jack first and it is love at first sight. jack straw really is a good measuring stick for a show....because to pull it off right, they have to do it like brothers....and tennessee jed and el paso all follow suit....IT IS A GROUP EFFORT fellas...and that's why we like it.

OK fine, i am NOT ready for 72....i missed this one. very nice mix, piano, drums, bass, all is proportioned right....and as far as i can tell so far....THE SINGING IS SPOT ON, THEY ENNUNCIATE (sp?) GOODLY, the words to jack straw bob does like the 9/20/70 acoustic truckin, like its coming off a lyric sheet, and jer belts jed with only ONE FLUB! and works the solo up perfect.....

billy is snappy on the beat with phil, jer lurks on mexicali, "everybody polka" and mr garcia is off to the races....let's do it over again and agin....they sing together great!!! and the hot part of the show is supposed to be other one > big rr blues....that seems like EXACTLY HOW this show should go.

and peter....everybody take a look at poor peter....WOOOOWWWWWW

FIVE STARS -- they are feeling it, FOR SURE...

I was reading an old magazine this morning, (Unbroken Chain magazine from spring of '95,) and stumbled upon an interview w/Dick...he highly recommended the part from Other One->Big Railroad Blues...what do you think? I really enjoyed 'cryptical', like the song says, you know he had to die... A wonderfully crazy being, Dick is missed. It was a pleasure meeting you, R.I.P. brother, the work that you poured love into has grown for us all. (He would have loved this site!)

jerry? is that you? you sound like they locked you outside with your amp and wouldn't let you play.....you are so quiet.......what happened to your volume-----this sounds really compressed or something----vocals sound like the high end has been removed